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July 30 - August 5, 2006 Other Trips
Day 3 took us out of the backcountry and back to Estes Park, but not before we paid a visit to two of the parks crown jewels, Dream and Emerald Lakes. Coming down from Andrews Creek, we had two possible routes. We could (A) split off from the Loch Junction towards Lake Haiyaha and then over to Dream, or (B) simply hike back to the Bear Lake Trailhead and then up to the lakes. Because we were carrying full packs, we decided to skip Haiyaha and just hike back to the cars.
The hike down was uneventful just more beautiful scenery which we had already covered in Days 1 and 2. The spur trail between the Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake Trailheads being all uphill (coming back), we now regretted having missed parking at Glacier Gorge to begin with. Once we got back to the cars, Dad, Drew, Ron, and Alex decided they had had enough for a while and took one of our cars back into Estes. Christopher and I headed up to Dream and Emerald.
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The hike to Dream Lake is the most popular in the park so popular that the park service has had to actually pave some of the trail in asphalt to prevent the tens of thousands of boots which make the journey every year from pounding the trail into oblivion. The hike to Dream is popular for several reasons. At 2.6 miles to Emerald, the hike is relatively short, the destination lakes are beautiful, and the trail offers many incomparable views of Longs and the Front Range. The first stop is Nymph Lake, populated with lily pads which were in full bloom.
Dream Lake more emerald in color than Emerald Lake and framed with the imposing Halletts and Flattop Peaks in the background, is probably the most beautiful lake in the park. At the least, it is in a dead heat with Mills, Chasm, and a few others.
Finally, it is just a short hike further to Emerald Lake. It sits in the very dramatic cirque of Halletts and Flattop. It would make a great lunch spot, except for the incredible gusts of wind that come rushing down the cirque to assault the eastern bank.
After returning from our short but very enjoyable hike, Christopher and I headed back into Estes Park. We spent the rest of the day doing laundry, walking around downtown Estes, and making a short, stormy tip up Trail Ridge Road. That evening, I remembered that the couple from the day before was supposed to have dropped off my batteries. The batteries were waiting for me at the front desk along with a 6-pack of Flat Tire. It was just the perfect number one for each member of the crew.
Day 4 would be a short hike in the Wild Basin to Ouzel Falls before taking to Longs Peak.
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